Front-wheel brake



June 3, 1930. w, FREHSE 1,761,912

FRONT WHEEL BRAKE Filed NOV. '7, 1927 jwwntot Sub-1149,1

Patented June 3, 1930 I JUNITEODASTATES PATENT OFFICE ALBERT w. FREHSE, E DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TOGENERAL MOTORS COR- PORATIon, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE FRONT-WHEEL BRAK Application filed. November 7, 1927.1 Serial No. 231,634.

means to applya band or shoe brake mechanism'to' a wheel carried drum, the means being equally effective for all steering positions of the wheel. The arrangement is such that the relation of the bandto the drum is not to be disturbed. by the. turningmovement' of the wheel in the act of steering.

Other objects; are simplicity in construction and economy in manufacture. v

For a fulLunderstanding of the invention reference is made'to the accompanying drawing, in Wl'llCh Figure 1 1s v a view of the brake inside elevation.

Figure 2 is a'view of the axle and wheel 'drum'in-elevation, parts being broken away to show the operative mechanism. Figure 3is a side elevation of a detail. Figure & is a plan view ofthe same. Referring by reference characters to the several figures of the drawing, numeral 5 represents a vehicle.axle,preferably a front axle for steering wheels. The'axle shown is of the'reverse Elliott type. A steering knuckle 7 is formed with forks 9 embrac-' ing the axle end and is pivoted thereto to permit swivelling movement of the wheel for steering purposes. The wheel is to be mounted for rotation on spindle 11 extending from the knuckle 7 On the wheel, not shown, is the drum 13 which is to be frictionally engaged to stop or check the rotation of the wheel by theflshoe or band in the usual way. In the drawingthe retarding means shown is in the form of two shoe members 15. The shoes are anchored by pivots17 to a fixed or backingplate 19, the latter being secured by suitable fastening means,'n0t shown, to the knuckle 7 carrying the wheel so that as, the wheelswivels the plate 19swivels with it and carries the shoes 15. n

For applying the brake the shoes 15 are to be expandedinto engagement with the drum. For producing this action there is rotatably mounted in the backing plate'a rock shaft 21. ,On the end of shaft 21 within the drum is a cam 23 or its equivalent for expanding the shoes. The shaft 2lis so positioned in the backing plate that the cam is operatively located between the adjacent ends of the shoes the ends remote from the pivots 17, and shaft 21 is also located to one side of the vertical line through the steering axis.

on the inner end of shaft 21 within the backing plate 19 is an arm25. Arm 25 extends transversely toward the swivelli'ng axis of the wheel. Its end is forked as at 27 and carries a roller 29 mounted on a horizontal axis 31. The roller has a spherically rounded surface as at 83; The

vertical axis through the center of theroller lies substantially in the vertical axis of rotation of the wheel as it swivels about 'the end of the axle. The rotation of arm 25 carrying the roller 29 rotates the "cam and expands the brake shoes into frictionalen-' gagement with the drum.

To produce the swinging movement of arm 25 there is pivoted to the axle 5 upon a boss 35 by means of a substantially ver- 'tical pivot 36 a lever 37. The inner end of the lever is apertured as at 39 to be engaged by suitable operative linkagenot shown and actuated by the usual brake pedal or lever. At its outer end the lever lies over the steering pivot between the 'axle and knuckle and is formed with an inclined surface or wedge 41, the lower part of which, when the brake is in released position, engages the surface of roller 29. It will be seen from Figure 3 that the point of contact between the wedge and the roller is removed from within the vertical line throughthe center ofthe roller which latter, as has been stated above, passes substantially through the swivelling axis 'of the wheel. To expand the shoes and apply the brake the lever is rocked so that its wedge moves. to the right as shown in Figure 1 and rocks arm 25 clockwise about its axis 21. As the lever is thus moved the thicker part of the wedge rocks the arm 25 and also the cam. In such action the arc of movement of arm 25 is small and the center of the roller through the movement of the arm departs only to a negligible extent from the said swivelling axis. Should the wheel be turned in steering the lever 37 and the wedge member 41 do not partake of this swivelling movement but the arm 25 and the roller 29 do swing about the axis of oscillation which, as has been stated,

passes through the vertical axis of the y brake including actuating means and manu-' roller. The contact point between the roller and the wedge being somewhat removed from-the vertical center line. of the roller results in the point of contact travel-.

ing in a limited circular are about the vertical axis as a center as the wheel -1s steered.

it will be understood that it may also be used. with aband brake wherein the cam bane.

I claim: 1 V 1'.'In a brake, a rotatable drum, brake "is ,lo c atedbetween the adjacent ends of the mechanism within the Y drum, expanding].

means therefor, a rock shaft' carrying said expanding. means and having an arm, an actuating lever, a wedge on said lever engaging said arm to rock the shaft and apply thebrake I 1 V 2. In a brake, a rotatable drum, brake mechanism within the drum, expanding means to apply the brake. mechanism, comprising a rock shaftlhaving an arm, a roller onsaid arm, an operating means, a wedge on" saidmeans, saidwedge having an'inclined surfacein constant engagement with said; rollen, the mo vement of said wedge swinging saidarm and applying the brake by the engagementof the roller with successive points along the inclined surface I of the wedge."

a In "a-br'ake, a rotatable drum, brake mechanism the'rewithin, expanding means for I applying 'said' br'ake. mechanism, 3 comprisingarock shaft; carrying said expanding means, an arm on said rock shaft, aroller on' said arm, operating means including a wedge having an inclined surface engaging said-roller, the center of the roller "lying in the axis' of oscillation of the drum and the movement of said. wedge causing the swinging 'of' said arm by the engagement of thefrollerrwith successive points on the inclinedfsnrface of. theiwe dge. 4, (The invention defined contact pointlof saidlroller with theiwedge bfeingfspaced from the axis of oscillation.

1 '5. In brake mechanism, means to apply a brake including actuating means and 0p;

by claim 3, the

erating means, one in the form of a roller, the other in the form of an inclined plane,

the parts positioned and movable so that the roller may move up and down the transverse planeand also transversely across the said plane. 1 I 1 6. In brake mechanism, means to apply a ally operating means, one including the roller, the other a wedge having an inclined surface; engaging the roller, the roller and wedge swinging about axes substantially at right angles to each other. 7

7; In brake mechanism, means to apply a brake including actuating means and manuwally operating means, one including the roller, the other including a wedge having. in-

clined surfaces engaging the roller, the roller and wedge swinging about an axis substantially at right angles to each other, said, I roller having a further movement about a" vertical axisthrough its center such that the" contact point between the roller and wedge describes the circular arc on the incli ned surface of the wedge.

8; In a brake for vehicles, an axle,- the wheel knuckle vswivelled thereto, a-wheel drum, a backing plate rigid with and swivelling with the knuckle, brake mechanism within said drum and carried bysaid backing plate, means to actute said brake mech V ani'sm including a rock shaft, said rock shaft being removed from the vertical swinging axis, an arm on said rock shaft extending transversely to that axis, a lever pivoted on the axle, said lever extending longitudinally the the axle and terminating inan inclined surface engaging the end of said arm.

9. The invention defined by claim 8, the

' endofsaid arm having a roller,the vertical central axis of which lies, substantially .within the swivelling axis, and the point of contact of the roller 'with'the inclined surface being, for all positions of saidlever,

spaced from the said vertical axis.

tact with said drum, manually operated lever means provided with an inclinedsurgagement, lever means not swivelling with the wheel and having a part immovable relative thereto formed as an inclined surface operably engaging said brake applying I the lever means is 10. In a brake, a drum, brake mechanism,

.meansswivelling with the wheel end directly engaging said brake mechanism to move said brake mechanism'into frictional con- 2125 I the wheel to effect the said frictional en means at successive points along said inclined surface as the lever is operated.

12. In a brake for swivelling Wheels, a brake actuating means swivelling with the Wheel and movable to actuate the brake, manually movable operating means including as a part thereof a Wedge, the Wedge having an inclined surface in constant engagement with said actuating means at successive points onit's inclined surface Whereby the movement of, said actuating means by said operating means applies the brake through the engagement of the actuating means with the successive points of the inclined surface of the wedge.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ALBERT W. FREHSE. 

